La. Tech puts 14 on All-WAC teams

La. Tech puts 14 on All-WAC teams

RUSTON — After posting a 9-3 record behind the nation’s top offense, Louisiana Tech had 14 players named to the All-WAC teams Monday, most in program history.

Quarterback Colby Cameron was named Offensive Player of the Year after ranking second in the nation in passing at 345.6 yards per game and fourth in total offense at 360.3. Cameron completed 359-of-522 passes for 4,147 yards and 31 touchdowns with just five interceptions.

Running back Kenneth Dixon was named Freshman of the Year. He led the nation in scoring at 14 points per game. He was second in the league in rushing at 99.5 yards per game while gaining 1,194 yards on 200 carries. Dixon set NCAA and WAC freshman records for rushing touchdowns (27), touchdowns in a season (28), and points (168) in a season.

Utah State’s Gary Andersen was named Coach of the Year, and San Jose State lineman Travis Johnson was voted the conference’s top defensive player.

Notre Dame

TICKET DEAL FOR IRISH: An anonymous alumnus donated enough money to cut the price of BCS Championship Game tickets to Notre Dame students for the game between the top-ranked Fighting Irish and No. 2 Alabama in half, dropping the price from $300 to $150.

Senior assistant athletic director Josh Berlo said the school wasn’t disclosing the amount of the donation. But at a cost of $150 and with 2,500 tickets available, the donation is believed to be about $375,000. Berlo said more than 4,000 Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College students have applied for tickets.

Berlo said the school has received more than 100,000 requests from alumni, season-ticket holders and others for the school’s allotment of 17,000 tickets. Tickets are being distributed by lottery.

Northern Illinois

HUSKIES GET IN FREE: Northern Illinois students attending the Orange Bowl won’t have to pay admission.

The school said it is giving each student one free ticket for the game against Florida State on Jan. 1, hoping to lure Huskies fans to Miami for the first BCS game in program history and the first by a Mid-American Conference team.

NIU’s enrollment is 23,850.

Sun Belt

COMMISH BLASTS BOWL PICKS: The commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference said the league should have gotten a fourth bowl bid this season and that Arkansas State should have landed in the Liberty Bowl.

Commissioner Karl Benson issued a statement saying it’s a positive development that a record three league teams are in bowls this season. But he said the Sun Belt didn’t get its due.

ASU will play Kent State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 6. Benson had hoped for a Red Wolves matchup in the Liberty Bowl.

Benson said Middle Tennessee, which is planning to leave for Conference USA, should have gotten a berth even though it lost to Arkansas State, 45-0, on Saturday.

“There has also been a lot of talk about Middle Tennessee being left out of a bowl game because they have announced that they will be leaving the Sun Belt Conference,” Benson said. “At no point in time was that ever part of any conversation between Sun Belt officials and a representative of a bowl game.”

Penn State

WALK-ON HONOR: Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin won the Burlsworth Award, given to the top player who began his career as a walk-on.

McGloin helped the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record this season, setting school records for passing yards (3,266) and touchdowns (24) in a season. The senior also holds the school mark for career passing TDs (46).